Discussing nutrition and health is always a contentious issue when it comes to dairy. Have you ever asked yourself one of these questions?
Dairy
Foods made from or including the milk of mammals are referred to as dairy. It doesn’t have to include a particular kind of milk ingredient (like lactose) to be considered suitable.
Most types of dairy can be gathered from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and even camels (which is a beloved favorite of many children).
When discussing dairy products, we are referring to items such as milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, ghee, cream, custard, kefir, casein, whey, ice cream, and frozen yogurt, as well as any other food that is produced from milk.
When did we start consuming dairy
It is a fact that only since the Neolithic period have humans been consuming milk and its associated products. For the majority of our time on Earth, dairy has not been a part of our diet.
The warnings about milk and dairy products intake are based on little evidence and may have been influenced by the dairy industry, one of the most influential food industries in the world.
Our species has developed over 2.5 million years without the consumption of dairy products. What on earth have we done without yoghurts, cheese, and milk?
During the Paleolithic period, people lived off the land as nomadic hunter-gatherers, meaning they ate whatever was locally available, such as plants, root vegetables, fruits, fish, and meat. Since animals were not yet domesticated, they had to do whatever they could to feed their tribes.
During the Neolithic period, humans established their first settlements due to the desire to cease nomadic lifestyles of walking and hunting, opting instead for a more stationary lifestyle. The beginning of agriculture, as we know it today, began with us domesticating animals, growing our own food, and becoming less physically active. This is when cattle raising began.
Milk consumption in Europe gained a lot of attention during the 19th century, primarily due to the pasteurization process which made it easier for milk to be commercially distributed.
The consumption of dairy has skyrocketed in recent times and grocery stores contain an abundance of dairy items, which is continuously increasing.
Dairy cons: lactose, casein and inflammation
Many of us believe that the difficulty with dairy is due to lactose, and this is only partially accurate. Lactose can be described as a type of milk “sugar” because it is a type of carbohydrate.
The difficulty is that the ability to digest lactose fades as we get older. This takes place due to the fact that we no longer make lactase, the enzyme that is needed to “split” the dairy carbs.
When we purchase a dairy product that is free of lactose from the grocery store, we are getting a product that has lactase added to it, allowing us to digest it easily. It is crucial to point out that lactose-free products have a higher concentration of carbohydrates, so if you are following a ketogenic diet, this might not be the optimal choice.
The main issue with dairy products is a protein called casein. Have you heard of it? There are two types of caseins in milk:
- Alphacaseins: (S1 and S2) Cow’s milk contains mainly S1, one of the most allergenic. It is present in much less quantity in breast milk and other mammals’ milk.
- Beta casein: (A1 and A2) Cow’s milk contains mostly A1 and A2 is present in breast milk and goat’s dairy.
What does this mean?
Cow’s milk caseins usually cause more issues than those derived from goat and sheep milk. Additionally, caseins are hard to process, which can be damaging to the gut and lead to inflammation and autoimmune problems.
Caseins have been linked to a higher creation of IGF-1, which is similar to the hormone insulin. There is evidence that consuming dairy may be a contributing factor in the development of certain hormone-related cancers, such as breast, endometrial, and prostate cancers, due to its potential to disrupt hormones.
In Europe, the practice of adding hormones to the feed of animals raised on farms is not permitted, whereas it is allowed in the United States. If that is the situation, IGF-1 is present in much greater quantities. American friends, choose your dairy wisely!
How do you feel? Do you think your digestion has improved? No premenstrual syndrome this month? If you suffer from a condition related to the immune system, such as hypothyroidism, arthritis, or coeliac disease, it is possible that a diet without dairy products could be beneficial to you.
All autoimmune disorders have the same root cause: inflammation. Eliminating or reducing dairy intake could be a major transformation in your lifestyle. Give it a try!
Dairy pros: calcium, vitamin D and fat
You may be aware that dairy provides an excellent amount of calcium and vitamin D.
We often emphasize the importance of consuming the right amount of dairy to absorb calcium, but the reality is that calcium won’t integrate into the bones without vitamin D. Those with a lack of vitamin D have an increased chance of breaking a bone.
Some reviews and research have labeled the deficiency of vitamin D as a worldwide epidemic. The primary reasons for a lack of vitamin D-rich foods like dairy, cod liver oil, or mushrooms, and a lack of exposure to sunlight, are the main contributing factors.
Vitamin D acts as a hormone and is essential for the proper functioning of your immune system.
Research has suggested that there may be a link between a lack of vitamin D and autoimmune illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and breast cancer.
Consuming dairy products can be helpful when following a ketogenic diet in order to ensure that enough fat is being included in the diet. Dairy products such as cheese, cream, full-fat yoghurt and kefir can be beneficial if you require more fat in your diet than what you are currently receiving from other sources.
Is dairy keto-friendly
In some instances, yes.
It is contingent upon the carbohydrates in a specific dairy product and an individual’s capacity to consume dairy. Let’s put the dairy allowance to the side and concentrate on the carbohydrate standard for now.
When inquiring if a certain food is suitable for the Keto diet, you are essentially inquiring if the carb content of the food is low enough to trigger ketosis. The Keto diet has the potential to bring about desirable results due to ketosis, which is a metabolic process that causes the body to burn fat.
In order to reach ketosis, it is usually necessary to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat to less than 10 percent of your total daily caloric intake. (For some people, closer to 5%). The most significant regulation of Keto is also the toughest to abide by.
Eating Keto means keeping the net carbs (total carbs – fiber – sugar alcohols) you consume to between 20 and 50 grams a day. This does not provide much room for including rice, yams, apples, or bananas.
Many people have noticed that their desire for carbs disappears when they switch to the Keto diet. It is plausible that this is the result of a decrease in appetite hormones, alterations in dietary practices, overcoming a craving for sugar, or some other cause.
Let’s return to Keto dairy. In order for a dairy product to be suitable for the Keto diet, it must meet one criteria: having a low carbohydrate content.
Low-carb dairy and dairy to avoid
Most commercial dairy products aren’t Keto friendly. Why? Because they contain loads of added sugar.
Imagine the huge selection of different flavored yogurts in the dairy section. Food producers make these snacks habit-forming by overflowing them with sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, and “natural” kinds of sugar like honey.
Most health-conscious people are aware of this. They understand that chocolate milk, strawberry yogurt, and mint chip ice cream are the enemies of the Keto diet.
However, sugar that has been added is not the only way to get carbohydrates from dairy products. You also have lactose.
Even though lactose is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk, it does not necessarily mean that it is beneficial for your health or fits into the Keto diet. It’s important to remember that the majority of milk variations, such as full cream, half and half, and evaporated milk, each contain around 10 grams of lactose per portion.
The takeaway? Milk does not fit into the Keto diet, even if no processed or natural sugars are included. The Keto dairy list includes dairy products that have a low amount of both sugar that has been added to them and the sugar that naturally occurs in them, lactose.
Keto dairy list:
- Butter
- Ghee
- Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- Sour cream
- Most cheeses—mozzarella, gouda, brie, muenster, Monterey jack, mascarpone, provolone, cheddar, cream cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan, blue cheese, etc.
- Unsweetened kefir
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt
Beneficial nutrients in dairy
The nutrients in Keto-friendly dairy can be broken into two categories:
- Macronutrients (macros)
- Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and other compounds)
1. Macronutrients in dairy
When it comes to macronutrients, dairy products that are low in carbohydrates can be high in fat, high in protein, or a combination of both. The fat is mostly saturated fat. That’s why butter is semi-solid at room temperature.
But wait, doesn’t saturated fat give you heart disease? It is a fact that consuming higher amounts of saturated fat can raise LDL cholesterol levels, which can be an indicator of heightened risk. However, various comprehensive reviews have found no correlation between the consumption of saturated fat and the likelihood of developing heart disease.
Butter and ghee are advantageous for cooking since they don’t break down (like vegetable oils) when heated to high temperatures. They’re perfectly healthy fats on Keto.
Milk includes two types of protein: casein and whey. Both of these milk proteins have high ratings in terms of digestibility, effectiveness in promoting growth, and the amount of the protein that is incorporated into bodily tissues.
The gist of it is that if allowed, adding casein or whey protein powder to a Keto smoothie is a good idea.
2. Micronutrients in dairy
Beyond macros, here’s a list of beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other compounds found in Keto dairy:
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). May help with fat loss and heart disease risk.
- Calcium. For supporting bone health.
- Vitamin A. To boost immunity.
- Lactoferrin: To aid bone regeneration and immunity
- Alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin: May be used for allergies and immune support.
- Immunoglobulins (IGG, IGA): To boosts immunity against infection.
- Lysozyme: To help fight infections.
Who should avoid dairy
Two groups of people should avoid dairy:
- Those with a dairy allergy
- Those with a dairy intolerance
For those with dairy allergies, even the slightest amount of milk could be potentially fatal, leading to anaphylactic shock. People who are sensitive to dairy typically have a reaction to casein, alpha-lactalbumin, and beta-lactoglobulin.
Dairy intolerance is much more common. It may come as a surprise, but around 65% of individuals are not able to digest lactose properly, and a lot of them also have a reaction to whey or casein.
If you can’t handle dairy, don’t worry. A dairy-free Keto diet is highly doable.
Consume animal proteins and fats from sources such as fish, eggs, and meat, as well as plant-based options including avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, and seeds. Additionally, you can get an extra boost of calcium from sardines, spinach, and turnip greens.
It may be a difficult decision to stop eating cheese, but your health is worth it.
Dairy on a keto diet: Eat or avoid
Milk-based products can be a good way to incorporate fat into a keto diet, but not all people are able to include them in their nutrition plan.
If you are hoping to reduce inflammation or manage the signs of an autoimmune disorder, you may want to look into trying a ketogenic diet that does not include dairy.
If you don’t suffer from inflammation, dairy products can provide you with a good source of fat.
- Always choose full-fat. Now we have some studies that show full-fat dairy is the best option to lose weight and improve satiety. That is what we are looking for on our keto diet! And no, it is not going to affect your cardiovascular health. Milk is higher in carbs than cheese, for example, so limit its intake or avoid it.
- Fermented: fermentation decreases and even eliminates lactose. So fermented dairy products are better tolerated: kefir, yoghurt, cheese… Limit cream and other non-fermented dairy.
- Goat or sheep: as we said, goat and sheep milk are less inflammatory than cow’s milk because of the caseines. Goat cheese for the win!
- Organic: fewer pesticides, less toxics, more nutritious!
Side notes
The Keto diet can seem restrictive. It is not recommended to consume bananas, sweet potatoes, or other items that are high in carbohydrates. What about dairy on Keto? That depends.
The choice is contingent upon the kind of dairy product. Certain dairy products are suitable for the Keto diet, but the majority of the heavily processed products available at large stores are not compliant with the diet.
It also depends on your dairy tolerance. If dairy doesn’t sit well with you, it’s best not to have it as part of your diet. No one solution works for everyone; you need to discover what works best for you and what does not.
